Diane McKnight

About

Diane McKnight is a Distinguished Professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, affiliated with the Department of Environmental Studies and the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR). Her research interests include freshwater aquatic ecology and biogeochemistry, hydrology, and the study of alpine and polar regions, with a focus on climate change adaptation. She is also an Environmental Engineering Affiliate. Her work involves understanding the ecological and biogeochemical processes in freshwater systems, particularly in sensitive and changing environments such as alpine and polar regions.

Research topics

• Environmental science
• Ecology
• Environmental engineering
• Chemistry
• Geology
• Biology
• Geography
• Environmental chemistry
• Mathematics
• Geochemistry

Selected publications

• Effects of Spatial Variability and Relic DNA Removal on the Detection of Temporal Dynamics in Soil Microbial Communities

  mBio · 2020 · 120 citations

  Nearly all microbial communities are dynamic in time. Understanding how temporal dynamics in microbial community structure affect soil biogeochemistry and fertility are key to being able to predict the responses of the soil microbiome to environmental perturbations. Here, we explain the effects of soil spatial structure and relic DNA on the determination of microbial community fluctuations over time. We found that intensive spatial sampling was required to identify temporal effects in microbial…

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Enhanced Rare Earth Element Mobilization in a Mountain Watershed of the Colorado Mineral Belt with Concomitant Detection in Aquatic Biota: Increasing Climate Change-Driven Degradation to Water Quality

  Environmental Science & Technology · 2021 · 36 citations

  Senior authorCorresponding

  In the western USA, one legacy of historic mining is drainage of acidic, metal-rich water generated by exposure to oxygen of sulfide minerals in mine workings, referred to as acid mine drainage (AMD). Streams receiving AMD and natural acid rock drainage (ARD) have a low pH, high dissolved metal concentrations, and extensive streambed oxide deposits. Recently, enhanced ARD generation in the Snake River watershed in the Rocky Mountains has been shown to be associated with warmer summer air tempera…

  DOI

• Climate‐Driven Increases in Stream Metal Concentrations in Mineralized Watersheds Throughout the Colorado Rocky Mountains, USA

  Water Resources Research · 2024-04-01 · 22 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Abstract Increasing stream metal concentrations apparently caused by climate warming have been reported for a small number of mountain watersheds containing hydrothermally altered bedrock with abundant sulfide minerals (mineralized watersheds). Such increases are concerning and could negatively impact downstream ecosystem health, water resources, and mine‐site remediation efforts. However, the pervasiveness and typical magnitude of these trends remain uncertain. We aggregated available streamwat…

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• The Role of Hyporheic Connectivity in Determining Nitrogen Availability: Insights From an Intermittent Antarctic Stream

  Journal of Geophysical Research Biogeosciences · 2021 · 15 citations

  Abstract Due to widespread manipulation of nitrogen (N), much research has focused on processes controlling the fate of anthropogenic N in streams. Yet, in a variety of oligotrophic systems, N fixed by periphyton is a significant driver of ecosystem metabolism. Due to difficulties partitioning allochthonous and autochthonous sources, there is limited information regarding how the latter is processed. Autochthonous N may be particularly important in alpine, arid, or polar environments. We test th…

  DOI

• Wildland–urban interface wildfire increases metal contributions to stormwater runoff in Paradise, California

  Environmental Science Processes & Impacts · 2024-01-01 · 12 citations

  articleOpen access

  runoff throughout the storm season. Increases in concentration up to 200-fold were found for metals Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn in burned watersheds compared to pre-fire values. Total concentrations of Al, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn exceeded EPA aquatic habitat acute criteria by up to 16-fold for up to five months after the fire. To assess possible transport mechanisms and bioavailability, a subset of 18 samples was analyzed using four filters with nominal pore sizes ranging from 0.22 to 1.2 μm to determine…

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Recent grants

• Collaborative Research: Humics and Iron Redox Reactions in Bangladesh Aquifer

  NSF · $368k · 2008–2012

• Collaborative Research: Biogeochemistry of Dissolved Organic Matter in Pony Lake, Ross Island

  NSF · $285k · 2004–2007

• Stream Ecosystem "Harshness" and Microbial Endemism in the McMurdo Dry Valleys

  NSF · $495k · 2009–2013

Frequent coauthors

• W. Berry Lyons

  The Ohio State University

  157 shared

• M. N. Gooseff

  Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research

  129 shared

• Peter T. Doran

  Louisiana State University

  113 shared

• John C. Priscu

  Montana State University

  113 shared

• Andrew G. Fountain

  108 shared

• Ross A. Virginia

  Dartmouth College

  98 shared

• Diana H. Wall

  97 shared

• Daryl Moorhead

  University of Toledo

  94 shared

Education

• Ph.D., Environmental Studies

  University of Colorado Boulder

  1990

• M.S., Environmental Studies

  University of Colorado Boulder

  1986

• B.S., Environmental Studies

  University of Colorado Boulder

  1983

Awards & honors

• INSTAAR Fellow

Similar researchers at University of Colorado Boulder

• Dan Doakh-64
• Steve Millerh-50
• Maxwell Boykoffh-49